Lath for plastering-foundations.



No. 690,435. Patented Ian. 7,1902.

.LxJOHN.

LYATH FUR-PLAST-ERING FOUNDATIONS.

- (Application led Ian. 9, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES muon',

ATENT JAMES JOHN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 690,435, dated January '7, 1902.

Application tiled January 9, 1901. Serial No. 42,594. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t 11mg/ concern."

Be it known that I, JAMES JOHN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in

the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Laths for Plastering-Foundations, of which the following is a specifica-tion.

This invention relates to a new article of manufacture which may be used as a substitute for ordinary wood, brous, and metallic laths and which can be used, when desired, as a support or foundation for plastering, all of which will more fully hereinafter appear.

The principal object of the invention is to provide as anew article of manufacturealath which may form a simple and economical wall or a foundation for plastering or similar substances.

The invention consists in a new article of manufacture composed of a thin slab or strip primarily coated with an adhesive substance or binder, alayer of fine gravel or similar substance, and a coat of waterproof and tireproof paint'.

It consists, further, in the process of pro ducing a lath which will be waterproof and fireproof and which can be used to form a foundation for plastering; and it consists, further and finally, in the process and article of manufacture hereinafter described and claimed. l

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a perspective view of a lath constructed in accordance with these improvements; and Fig. 2, an enlarged view of a portion thereof, showing the different steps of its manufacture.

In the art to which this invention relates it is well known that the laths of commerce as now used are' formed either of naked wood or of metal or wire lath, the use of which is objectionable. It is well known that wood lath when subjected and surrounded by plaster readily absorbs moisture from the plaster, which causes the lath to swell, and during the subsequent drying or warping the lath is contracted or warped, which is liable to crack or destroy the wall. Again, this class of laths is objectionable in that the plaster will not sufficiently adhere to the lath except by leaving a space between the laths when axed to the studding, which space becomes filled with plaster and forms a key or clench to hold the wall of plaster in place, and thus requires large quantities of material, a portion of which is wasted by becomL ing detached and dropping through the spaces. In the use of metal laths it is Well known that the presence of moisture is liable to rust such laths and that besides being expensive they do not form a firm and even foundation for the plaster and it is very difficult to apply plaster thereto. Again, this class of laths is objectionable in that it is necessary to force a large quantity of plaster through the interstices of the lath for the purpose of forming a key or clench, as in the use of wood laths above described.

The principal object, therefore, of this invention is to provide a process for producing a new article of manufacture, which I prefer to term a lath, which will obviate the above-named objections and be simple and economical to manufacture and very efficient in use and which' can be used alone to form a Wall or as a base for plastering.

In manufacturing a lath in accordance with my improvements and describing the process thereof, I rst take a thin slab or strip of suitable material a, preferring t0 use therefor a slab or strip of wood, though it will be understood that when desired I may use a thin slab or strip of other suitable materialsuch as indurated liber, paper-board, or some of the various metals, as brass, iron, steel,- or aluminium-and immerse it in a bath of silicate of soda, cement, or other adhesive material,'or should it be desired to treat only one surface of the slab or strip I may apply such adhesive with'a paint-brush, so as to thoroughly cover or coat the same, as at b. I next take the' slab or strip out of the bath and provide it with a layer or coating of gravel c, which is applied thereto in the requisite thickness and secured tov the slab or strip by the silicate of soda or other adhesive material, which acts as a cement or binder therefor. I next apply to it a fine grade or quality of sand CZ, such as screened sand, which enters the interstices of the larger or coarser gravel to a certain extent and makes it a more compact and uniform layer-that is, it protects and stiffens the slab or strip and furnishes a more uniform substance. I

next take the slab or strip so coated and subject it to heat, which sets the cement, binder, or adhesive substance quickly and in a permanent manner, thus permitting the slab to be handled as roughly as ordinary operatives are in the habit of handling it. I finally take the slab or strip and immerse it in a bath or paint it preferably with a coat of Waterproof and fireproof paint e, which thor- Oughly covers the exterior surface of the gravel and sand and all exposed surfaces with a durable coating, which when dried, as it subsequently is, presents a better appearance and effectively protects said slab or strip and said adhesive material from the moisture of the plaster and also adds to the bindingproperties of said adhesive substance in cementing the gravel and sand to each other and to said slab or strip. The slab or strip, which is preferably about six inches Wide and oneeighth of an inch thick and four feet long, is now in condition for use, and I prefer to affix it to the ordinary studding of a building by nailing thereto, having the lateral edges of one strip in juxtaposition to an adjacent strip. It may be used in this manner alone as an efficient wall in slimmer cottages, cabins, or the like, or it may be used as a base for one or more layers of plastering. The plaster readily adheres to the rough surface of the lath and permits the plasterer of ordinary sk ill in his calling to make a better and more economical wall and. one of more uniform construction than has hitherto been possible.

The advantages incident to an article of manufacture constructed in accordance with these improvements ar, first, the lath is practically reproof and forms a very good Wall; second, it forms a very desirable and efficient surface for plastering to adhere to and permits of its being done much quicker and more economically than with the ordinar7 wood ,metallic, or wire laths; third, it is not susceptible of being affected to any appreciable extent by dampness, and thus prolongs the life and efficiency of the article;` fourth, it prevents the staining or discoloration of the plaster, as in the case of Wood laths; fifth, it is very simple and economical to manufacture and very efficient in operation; sixth, it affords a great saving of Plastering material; seventh, it affords a great saving of labor in attaching the lathsl to the studding and in spreading plaster thereon; eighth, it takes up less space, in that the lath and plaster by this method is only about one-half to fiveeighths of an inch thick compared with seveneighths,as in ordinary cases ninth, it reduces or minimizes the Weight of material required in the construction of a building; tenth, it is to quite an extent a non-conductor of heat and renders it easier to keep the building Warmer in Winter and cooler in summer than with the ordinary methods of lathing and plastering, and, eleventh, it permits the plasterer when using what is commonly termed hard plaster to apply several coats of plaster in quick succession Without removing his staging from the room until the Work is completed.

I claim- 1. As a new article of manufacture, a lath composed of a thin slab or strip of 'Wood primarily coated with an adhesive substance or binder, a layer of gravel or similar substance, and a final covering of Waterproofing material, substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a lath composed of a thin slab of material primarily and entirely coated or covered Withan adhesive binder of silicate of soda, a layer of fine gravel and sand,- and an outer covering of paint, substantially as described.

3. The process of producing a new article of manufacture-'a lath, comprising the coating of a thin slab of material in an adhesive substance, then providing it with a layer of gravel and sand, then subjecting it to heat to set the binder and to facilitate the handling,` and finally covering the same with a' Waterproof coating, substantially as described.

JAMEs JOHN'.-

Witnesses:

THOMAS F. Sunni-DAN, HARRY IRWIN CROMER. 

